Hardwood decking species
DuraTau Thermally Modified Tauari Decking
Thermo Tauari, Tauari, Brazilian Oak, Couratari
DuraTau® is thermally modified Tauari, a Latin American hardwood that has spent most of its working life as flooring and interior millwork, often under the trade name Brazilian Oak (it is not an oak). Raw Tauari is pale, fine-textured and straight-grained, and it is denser than most of the woods that usually go into a modification kiln.
That starting density is the point. Thermal modification, which is heat and steam in an oxygen-free kiln with no chemicals added, makes wood stable and rot-resistant, but it also makes it lighter and more brittle. Start with a soft wood and you end with a softer one. Start with Tauari and you end with a board that still tests at 1,330 lbf Janka, with a modulus of rupture of 12,100 psi, about twice the hardness of thermally modified Korina.
The modification does what it always does: shrinkage falls under 2% both radially and tangentially, so the deck stays flat with even gaps through wet and dry seasons, and the durability rating is Class 1 (very durable). The pale raw wood turns a warm golden brown all the way through. The tight, uniform grain resists surface checking and splintering, which matters on a surface people walk on barefoot.
We stock DuraTau as a First Clear 5/4x6 deck board, S4S with eased edges, in even lengths from 8′ to 20′. It carries a 25-year warranty. Like every thermally modified wood it belongs on the surface, not in the structure: frame the deck in something else.
Working & finishing
Machines, sands and finishes cleanly. Like all thermally modified wood it is more brittle than raw stock: pre-drill near board ends and at fasteners and keep carbide tooling sharp. Fasten with 304 or 316 stainless steel; ExoDek QuickClip is the recommended hidden fastener. Bonds with MUF, PU and STP adhesives.
Durability
Class 1, very durable. The decay resistance comes from thermal modification, which converts what fungi and insects feed on, so it runs through the whole board and cannot wear off, leach out or need re-applying at a cut end.
Appearance
Pale before treatment; thermal modification turns it a warm golden brown, wheat-toned, carried right through the board. Weathers to silver-grey if left unfinished. Grain: Even to straight, tight and uniform. Texture: Fine, with a medium luster.
Applications
Decking, Siding, Soffit, Trim
Worked with DuraTau Thermally Modified Tauari? Write the first review.
Takes a few minutes. No account needed — every review is read by our team before it goes up.